Montreal Impact vs DC United | MLS Match Preview

The Montréal Impact and D.C. United bring down the curtain on the Eastern Conference before the World Cup break when the clubs face off Wednesday evening at Stade Saputo. The Impact are playing their first league game in two weeks, since a 2-0 win against the New England Revolution in La Belle Province – though they’ve won the Canadian Championship as well in the meantime. United hit the road following a scoreless draw with the Columbus Crew over the weekend that extended their home unbeaten run and moved them a point out of the East division lead.

MONTREAL IMPACT
The Montréal Impact put an end to their winless streak after three games, winning for the second time this season in league play in a 2-0 defeat of the New England Revolution on May 31 at Stade Saputo. The Impact are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with 10 points from 12 games.

LAST MATCH

• The Impact took the lead in the third minute. Andres Romero played a one-two with Marco Di Vaio outside the area, Romero getting the return pass and racing toward the right post before patiently finishing past Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth from close range.
• The second goal came in the 38th minute. Issey Nakajima-Farran ran down the left flank unchallenged and powered a shot which bounced off Shuttleworth’s chest and fell for Jack McInerney to tap in an uncontested rebound.
• Impact goalkeeper Troy Perkins was credited with three saves in keeping the clean sheet.
• Impact head coach Frank Klopas made four changes to the team that fell 4-1 to the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Karl Ouimette came into the back four for Jeb Brovsky, Andres Romero and Issey Nakajima-Farran started in midfield in place of Justin Mapp and Sanna Nyassi, and Marco Di Vaio came in to replace Patrice Bernier.
• MONTREAL IMPACT (4-4-2): Troy Perkins - Hassoun Camara, Heath Pearce, Wandrille Lefevre, Karl Ouimette - Andres Romero (Justin Mapp 67), Felipe Martins (Patrice Bernier 85), Hernan Bernardello, Issey Nakajima-Farran - Jack McInerney (Santiago Gonzalez 83), Marco Di Vaio.

TEAM NEWS

• The win against the Revolution was the second in league play this season for the Impact, coming three games after their first victory of the season (April 26 vs. Philadelphia).
• “This is only the first step. We still have a lot of work to do,” said Impact head coach Frank Klopas. “… The chances we created were through buildup and movement. It wasn’t luck. The performance was good, but it could always get better. This isn’t a team that should be where it’s at right now, it’s better than that.”
• Andrés Romero scored his second goal in as many matches, making his first start since April 12, playing a wide midfield role.
• For the first time since the April 12 match vs. Chicago – Jack McInerney’s first match with the Impact following the trade from Philadelphia – he teamed with Marco Di Vaio in a strike partnership. McInerney scored his second goal in the last three games, his third since coming to Montréal.
• “I felt confident and excited to play the 4-4-2 with Marco, I wanted to show that this formation would work,” said McInerney. “Getting on the scoresheet was a bonus. It’s not easy to play this formation with five midfielders, it’s a lot of work for the strikers, but we shut them down in the first half.”
• Issey Nakajima-Farran made his first start with the Impact following his trade from Toronto FC, also playing a wide midfield role.
• “I was a little surprised of the chemistry we all had. I felt really comfortable out there. Usually it takes a good five or six games,” said Nakajima-Farran. “Everybody was playing simple and the ball was zipping around. The quality I see on this team is great, with guys playing at a high level all over the world.”
• Said Klopas: “His work rate is excellent always, we knew we were getting a player who could help us in the final third. He has very good ideas, and good movement. He’s an easy player to play with. Each day with the team, he grows in confidence.”
• In the days since the last league contest, the Impact have bolstered their back line, obtaining Mamadou Danso in a trade with the Portland Timbers, and signing Haitian international Mechack Jerome, last with Sporting Kansas City.
• On June 4, the Impact won the Canadian Championship for the second consecutive year, defeating Toronto FC 1-0 at Stade Saputo in the second leg, winning the series 2-1 on aggregate. Felipe scored the game’s lone goal in added time.
• Here’s the IMFC team: Evan Bush; Karl W. Ouimette, Heath Pearce, Wandrille Lefèvre, Hassoun Camara; Patrice Bernier, Hernan Bernardello, Andrés Romero (Maxim Tissot 88’), Justin Mapp (Felipe 60’); Marco Di Vaio, Jack McInerney (Calum Mallace 75’)

D.C. UNITED
D.C. United stretched their home undefeated to eight games in a departure from their home ground, reaching a scoreless draw with the Columbus Crew on Saturday evening at FedEx Field. United are in a tie for second place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points from 14 games.

LAST MATCH

• United had a golden opportunity to win the game at the death, when Crew defender Bernardo Anor was deemed to have handled the ball in the area by referee Hilario Grajeda. Fabian Espindola stepped up to take the ensuing penalty -- but chipped his effort right into the hands of a stationary Steve Clark between the posts.
• The penalty stop was one of three saves Clark made on the evening. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid was called upon to make two saves.
• United head coach Ben Olsen made three changes to the team that defeated Sporting Kansas City 1-0 at RFK Stadium. Sean Franklin, Steve Birnbaum and Luis Silva came into the side in place of Chris Korb, Jeff Parke and the suspended Perry Kitchen.
• D.C. UNITED (4-3-1-2): Bill Hamid - Sean Franklin, Bobby Boswell, Steve Birnbaum, Cristian Fernandez - Nick DeLeon, Davy Arnaud, Chris Rolfe (Lewis Neal 76) - Luis Silva (Jared Jeffrey 62) - Fabian Espindola, Eddie Johnson (Conor Doyle 58).

TEAM NEWS

• United is now 5-0-3 over their last eight home matches, since opening the season with the 3-0 loss to Columbus at RFK Stadium. The game at FedEx Field was the first for United in a league match, though they have played there in international friendlies.
• “It’s not built for soccer. It was built for big boys who run around and tackle each other. We thought it was a little slow but both teams had to deal with it. It didn’t make for the most attractive soccer, but we had our looks,” said United head coach Ben Olsen.
• Fabian Espindola missed a penalty kick for the first time in his MLS career. He had converted all three of his previous opportunities (two with Real Salt Lake, one with New York).
• “It’s a little disappointing in the end not to get points out of the PK late like that, but Fabi’s been the man for us this year so he certainly can take the next one,” Olsen said.
• Steven Birnbaum, the club’s first-round selection in the 2014 SuperDraft (No. 2 overall), made his MLS debut, coming into central defense and playing the full match.
• “We found out I was starting a couple of days ago, so we went over a couple of tactics, especially how Columbus plays and everyone’s been great talking me through a bunch of things,” Birnbaum said. “Bobby [Boswell\ was very nice to me today, just walking me through everything and talking the whole time and I felt comfortable out there, so I’m happy.”
• Luis Silva made his first start since March 29, when his third consecutive start to open the season was cut short through injury. Silva had made five substitute appearances in between.
• Jared Jeffrey made his first appearance since April 12, coming on for Silva just after the hour, his third substitute appearance this season.
• Sean Franklin made his first start since April 26 when he was forced off injured in the FC Dallas match. Franklin had come on as a first-half substitute for the injured Chris Korb the week before.
• “I think [Luis] Silva started to tire, it was his first game in a while, and you saw that in the second half. I felt Jared [Jeffrey] came in and did a good job, which was nice to see. I felt [Steve] Birnbaum was fantastic and Lewis Neal came in and did a good job too. So overall, I’m not sure who deserves to win that game,” Olsen said.